Camas will rebid Crown Park project due to error

CAMAS — Camas officials have agreed to reject two construction bids for a $5 million Crown Park improvement project and go out for bid again because of an error in the city’s request for proposals.

Camas Parks and Recreation Director Trang Lam told Camas City Council members that a paperwork error listed an item in terms of per-unit cost instead of the total cost to demolish, remove and replace materials from the construction site.

“Staff has thoroughly reviewed the bid submittals, and have found a unit cost discrepancy for a bid item on the schedule,” Lam told the council in a staff report. “Due to the discrepancy, staff finds that it would be more transparent to recommend that the bid packages be rejected and the city rebids the project.”

The error caused the two bidders — Colf Construction of Vancouver and Kelso-based Advanced Excavating Specialists — to underestimate the cost for removing materials because bidders’ calculations were based on per-cubic-yard costs instead of the lump-sum cost.

The city of Camas is planning a complete revamp of historic Crown Park, adding an interactive splash pad, inclusive playground, restrooms and updated pathways and parking.

Going out to bid again will set the project back six weeks, but should not derail the project’s ground-breaking, set for this summer.

“We should still be able to meet that timeline,” Lam told the council Monday.

She added the city anticipates it will receive bids from the same bidders during the next round and could get bids from other contractors.

“We had about six or seven contractors sign up for packages, but only two submitted,” Lang said.

Councilman Tim Hein moved that the council reject the bids and rebid the project. The rest of the council — with the exception of Leslie Lewallen, who was absent — agreed. The motion passed unanimously.